Wednesday, 30 March 2016

A new regimenLewis and his col­leagues are pro­viding that focus. A sub­pop­u­la­tion of B. burgdor­feri
cells, they dis­cov­ered ear­lier, are “per­sister” cells—they are
alive but lie dor­mant, in a spore­like state. Because antibi­otics
attack only actively func­tioning bac­te­rial cells, per­sis­ters escape
the onslaught. How­ever, once the antibi­otic has been flushed from the
system, the per­sis­ters “wake up,” says Lewis, dividing and
mul­ti­plying until an army of progeny infect the host.That’s where “pulse dosing” comes in. Lewis’ team, in col­lab­o­ra­tion with researchers studying B. burgdor­feri
in mice at Tufts University’s Sackler School of Bio­med­ical Sci­ences,
has been ana­lyzing the effect of giving the mice an antibi­otic that
kills all the actively func­tioning bac­te­rial cells and then—using the
timing that erad­i­cated the pathogen in the test tube—giving
addi­tional doses to quash the per­sister cells as they begin to wake up
but before they reproduce.Plans are in the works for the first pulse-​​dosing human trials with med­ical schools.

They are: a mouse study of a reg­imen that erad­i­cated the
bac­terium in the test tube, set­ting the stage for human trials;
antibi­otic cock­tails using existing drugs; strate­gies to dis­cover
new drugs that selec­tively target the Lyme bac­terium; and ways to
alter the com­po­si­tion of the microbiome—the com­mu­nity of
microor­gan­isms inhab­iting the human body—to stop the autoim­mune
reac­tions that char­ac­terize the disease.All four show exciting promise. The grant, Lewis says, “will give us
the flex­i­bility to test our approaches in par­allel, which will save
us an enor­mous amount of time.”

If Lyme is caught early, patients gen­er­ally recover quickly when
treated with antibi­otics, pri­marily doxy­cy­line. How­ever, 10 to 20
per­cent of patients go on to develop a debil­i­tating chronic
con­di­tion called Post-​​Treatment Lyme Dis­ease Syn­drome, or PTLDS,
with symp­toms that include extreme fatigue, arthritis, muscle pain, and
cog­ni­tive difficulties.“I find it amazing that when you show up at
the doctor’s office you are not told that there is a 10 to 20 per­cent
chance that your life as you know it has ended,” says Lewis. “Nobody
seems to be focusing on the next step: How to pre­vent the sub­se­quent
rise of the chronic condition.”

Abstract

Introduction

Ticks are the most common arthropod vectors of both human and animal diseases in Europe, and the Ixodes ricinus
tick species is able to transmit a large number of bacteria, viruses
and parasites. Ticks may also be co-infected with several pathogens,
with a subsequent high likelihood of co-transmission to humans or
animals. However few data exist regarding co-infection prevalences, and
these studies only focus on certain well-known pathogens. In addition to
pathogens, ticks also carry symbionts that may play important roles in
tick biology, and could interfere with pathogen maintenance and
transmission. In this study we evaluated the prevalence of 38 pathogens
and four symbionts and their co-infection levels as well as possible
interactions between pathogens, or between pathogens and symbionts.

Methodology/principal findings

A total of 267 Ixodes ricinus
female specimens were collected in the French Ardennes and analyzed by
high-throughput real-time PCR for the presence of 37 pathogens (bacteria
and parasites), by rRT-PCR to detect the presence of Tick-Borne
encephalitis virus (TBEV) and by nested PCR to detect four symbionts.
Possible multipartite interactions between pathogens, or between
pathogens and symbionts were statistically evaluated. Among the infected
ticks, 45% were co-infected, and carried up to five different
pathogens. When adding symbiont prevalences, all ticks were infected by
at least one microorganism, and up to eight microorganisms were
identified in the same tick. When considering possible interactions
between pathogens, the results suggested a strong association between Borrelia garinii and B. afzelii, whereas there were no significant interactions between symbionts and pathogens.

Conclusion/significance

Our
study reveals high pathogen co-infection rates in ticks, raising
questions about possible co-transmission of these agents to humans or
animals, and their consequences to human and animal health. We also
demonstrated high prevalence rates of symbionts co-existing with
pathogens, opening new avenues of enquiry regarding their effects on
pathogen transmission and vector competence.

Author Summary

Ticks
transmit more pathogens than any other arthropod, and one single
species can transmit a large variety of bacteria and parasites. Because
co-infection might be much more common than previously thought, we
evaluated the prevalence of 38 known or neglected tick-borne pathogens
in Ixodes ricinus ticks. Our results demonstrated that
co-infection occurred in almost half of the infected ticks, and that
ticks could be infected with up to five pathogens. Moreover, as it is
well established that symbionts can affect pathogen transmission in
arthropods, we also evaluated the prevalence of four symbiont species
and demonstrated that all ticks were infected by at least one
microorganism. This work highlights the co-infection phenomenon in
ticks, which may have important implications for human and animal
health, emphasizing the need for new diagnostic tests better adapted to
tick-borne diseases. Finally, the high co-occurrence of symbionts and
pathogens in ticks, reveals the necessity to also account for these
interactions in the development of new alternative strategies to control
ticks and tick-borne disease.

Wednesday, 16 March 2016

Researchers Identify Virus and Two Types of Bacteria as Major Causes of Alzheimer’s

'A worldwide team
of senior scientists and clinicians have come together to produce an
editorial which indicates that certain microbes – a specific virus and
two specific types of bacteria – are major causes of Alzheimer’s
Disease. Their paper, which has been published online in the highly
regarded peer-reviewed journal, Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, stresses the urgent need for further research – and more importantly, for clinical trials of anti-microbial and related agents to treat the disease. http://neurosciencenews.com/microbes-alzheimers-neurology-3826/

Microbes and Alzheimer’s Disease

'AD is associated with neuronal loss and progressive synaptic
dysfunction, accompanied by the deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide, a
cleavage product of the amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP), and abnormal
forms of tau protein, markers that have been used as diagnostic
criteria for the disease [9, 10].
These constitute the hallmarks of AD, but whether they are causes of AD
or consequences is unknown. We suggest that these are indicators of an
infectious etiology. In the case of AD, it is often not realized that
microbes can cause chronic as well as acute diseases; that some microbes
can remain latent in the body with the potential for reactivation, the
effects of which might occur years after initial infection; and that
people can be infected but not necessarily affected, such that
‘controls’, even if infected, are asymptomatic'and

'In summary, we propose that infectious agents, including HSV1, Chlamydia pneumonia,
and spirochetes, reach the CNS and remain there in latent form. These
agents can undergo reactivation in the brain during aging, as the immune
system declines, and during different types of stress (which similarly
reactivate HSV1 in the periphery). The consequent neuronal damage—
caused by direct viral action and by virus-induced inflammation— occurs
recurrently, leading to (or acting as a cofactor for) progressive
synaptic dysfunction, neuronal loss, and ultimately AD. Such damage
includes the induction of Aβ which, initially, appears to be only a
defense mechanism.'The above was published March 2016 in ISO Press - http://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-alzheimers-disease/jad160152

This is a call for research to be done in this important field and to look at antimicrobial therapy as a way forward to treating some cases of Alzheimer's.'Professor Resia
Pretorius of the University of Pretoria, who worked with Douglas Kell on
the editorial, said “The microbial presence in blood may also play a
fundamental role as causative agent of systemic inflammation, which is a
characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease – particularly, the bacterial
cell wall component and endotoxin, lipopolysaccharide. Furthermore,
there is ample evidence that this can cause neuroinflammation and
amyloid-β plaque formation.”The findings of this editorial could also have implications for the
future treatment of Parkinson’s Disease, and other progressive
neurological conditions.'-http://neurosciencenews.com/microbes-alzheimers-neurology-3826/

Many of the media outlets have focused on the aspect of herpes virus and sadly missed the connection with bacteria - notably spirocaetal infections. Prof Judith Miklossy was one of the authors of this editorial and her work with Borrelia spirocaetes and dental spirochaetes has been discussed on this blog previously here http://lookingatlyme.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=Miklossy

Below is an important presentation from Dr Alan MacDonald on the subject of Borrelia infections of the brain and the development of Alzheimer's Disease.

Thank you Dana Parish for another insightful interview. One important extract -

'Why are doctors so quick to diagnose autoimmune disease?
It's always been striking to me how most chronic diseases are of unknown
etiology, yet how many have been linked in medical literature to Lyme
and Bartonella.
When people get a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia, MS, Lupus, rheumatoid
arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or other rheumatologic/inflammatory
diagnosis du jour, they are not getting an actual diagnosis. They're
getting a description of conditions that brings them no closer
to an answer. And I don't think that the majority of doctors are
evaluating these patients for the possibility of insect-borne infections
like Lyme and Bartonella as closely as they should be.
To have a negative Lyme ELISA test-
which is known to be horribly unreliable-and then sentence a patient to
a lifetime of immunosuppressive drugs, in my opinion, is abjectly
wrong.'

Lord Astor of Hever (Con) My Lords, I want to speak briefly on the specific health issue of Lyme disease, which is a rapidly ...

Disclaimer

Nothing I say can be taken as medical advice you must do your own research and discuss with your doctors.

Lyme Life written in 2009

I started suffering with arthritis in mainly my large joints especially my knees 6 years ago. The symptoms varied and I remember saying that every joint was affected except my elbows to one doctor. I was told it would be hormonal and to take the usual supplements cod liver oil or glucosamine ( I would certainly recommend buying shares in the companies producing these supplements) They had no noticeable affect.

All my symptoms deteriorated significantly over a few weeks,4 years ago. Hips shoulders and knees being the worst and I started with muscle weakness in upper arms and upper legs. I had difficulty standing and walking across a room. I was unable to walk upstairs and my husband was making plans to convert to a downstairs bedroom. I had seen 5 doctors and 3 Rheumatologists and put on steroids for Poly Myalgia Rheumatica diagnosis. I had been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS.

I have X rays and scans showing signs of osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis. ( later note.- the X rays done some years into treatment showed my hands completely normal no signs of inflammation or RA confirming how they felt - normal) I have been retired early from the Civil Service having lost my job not to mention my earning potential. My illness seemed to progress through my body not affecting the same joints left to right at the same time. I had bursitis in left hip, right hip, left elbow. I had synovial thickening in both wrists. At that time I could not lift and hold a magazine so lifting a kettle I could only do if a third full and with two hands. Each joint in my hands fingers feet and toes were affected. I had swallowing difficulties and many other symptoms. None of this describes the endless and awful pain whenever I moved or the tiredness but inability to get quality sleep.

Two years ago my GP gave me Amoxicilin for a sinus/throat/chest infection. All my arthritis symptoms improved. The course ended the symptoms deteriorated I started a second course the symptoms improved. The improvement was more significant than when I had started taking steroids. This led my GP to suspect Lyme Disease. I laughed because we do not travel abroad but she said they had had other cases in the surgery in the early stages of tick bite and Erythma Migrans rash. She said but you have not had a bite. I said oh yes I have I had two on my ankles with rashes, March 05 this was confirmed on her computer when I had seen a locum doctor. My worst symptoms were waking up feeling rigid and having to painfully flex every joint in my body before struggling to get up. The only other time I had experienced this was in May 2003 during a flu like illness like no other I had ever experienced. At that time I had a bite and similar rash on my right foot which lasted like the other rashes about four weeks. I had also consulted the surgery and it was dismissed as a virus. I walked our dog daily in the woods adjacent to our house where the deer roam, prime tick area. Thus started my very lengthy search about Lyme Disease leading me through Lyme Disease Action to a doctor who specialises in this illness. He confirmed my GP's suspicions. I never had a positive blood test but then they are antigen tests and there is much research that shows they are unreliable. In my case the year of steroids and many weeks antibiotics could have affected the results. So with a clinical diagnosis and following ILADS International Lyme and Associated Disease Society guidelines I continued on antibiotics for two years. Both my doctors continued to treat me despite of Health Protection Agency advising against long term antibiotics. I am now nearly 100% recovered I have no pain or muscle weakness. I can walk upstairs something I could not do for three and a half years. I can garden do house work and live a normal life. I still need to pace myself and with only a few months to 60 will not be looking to return to work. Life is such a joy. Sadly there is much controversy about Lyme Disease and doctors in UK are taught that it is so rare. Well where I live in Guildford I have been in contact with a dozen other people with it so perhaps not so rare as HPA would like us to believe. I am in touch with nearly 2000 other patients through a chat line Eurolyme most had been misdiagnosed with several other illnesses. Look at UK charity Lyme Disease Action if you want to read more about this illness. There are many MP's taking an interest in the problems surrounding diagnosis and treatment see above charity links into a recent meeting at the House of Commons.

Thank goodness there are some thinking doctors around who have courageously treated me against opposition and I have made such a miraculous recovery albeit rather a lengthy one. One day there will be many more people who are helped with their chronic illnesses when IDSA starts taking note of what our courageous LLMD’s are doing following ILADS Guidelines.